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Frequently Asked Questions

01. What is the CMP Program?

The Certification Maintenance Program (CMP) has the intent of assisting CRSPs keep pace with changes affecting professional OHS practice. CRSPs are required to maintain their designation by participating in the Board’s Certification Maintenance Program (CMP).The last digit of your registration number determines your audit cycle (e.g. for the registration number 01-1873, “3” is the audit cycle number).

02. Can you submit your worksheets at any time?

Please do not submit CMP worksheets and documentation until requested to do so by the BCRSP office.

03. How long does it take to process the CMP worksheets?

It can take 2-3 weeks for the processing of CMP applications.

04. How is the CMP Program divided?

The CMP has three major areas:

Professional Development,

Examinations and Additional Certifications and

Professional Pursuits.

Each category provides the opportunity to claim maintenance points. The maximum number of points that may be claimed are identified for each category.

05. When does the first CMP cycle begin?

Your first CMP cycle may vary from one to five years depending on the last digit of your registration number. After completion of your first cycle, all subsequent cycles will be five years in duration.

On average, CRSPs are required to earn a minimum of five (5) CMPs per year. There is no mandatory number of CMPs that must be earned each year with the exception of category.

C1 (Continuing professional practice with greater than 50% OHS position duties - minimum 900 hours/year) that CRSPs must meet on an annual basis.

06. What happens at the end of your CMP cycle?

At the end of your CMP cycle, the BCRSP will advise you that your CMP worksheets are to be submitted. Only points earned during the current cycle may be claimed.
The BCRSP randomly selects approximately 15% of CRSPs submitting CMP worksheets for audit. The audit procedure requires that you provide supporting documentation for all points claimed. It is therefore important that you keep documentation to verify your CMP activities.

Allowances are made if, during the CMP cycle for which you are submitting worksheets/documentation, you have been absent from work for such things as parental leave or LTD (details are included with the CMP worksheets).

CMPs claimed in excess of the maximum allowable for each category will not be counted and excess points may not be carried over to the next maintenance cycle

07. What happens if you do not submit your worksheets by the deadline date?

CRSPs who do not submit their worksheets by the deadline (end of March) are placed on probation until June 30. If by June 30, worksheets, and if required, documentation, have not been submitted, the Governing Board, will suspend the registration certificate.

CRSPs whose designation is suspended for non-submission of CMP worksheets by the June 30 deadline, must submit documentation for all points claimed as part of the reinstatement process regardless of whether or not they were initially required to supply such documentation

CRSPs should retain a copy of their CMP worksheets until such time as they have received notification from the Board advising that a Continuance of Certification has been granted.

Non-practising CRSPs are exempt from the Certification Maintenance Program. CRSPs who wish to apply for CMP exemption as a result of such things as maternity/parental leave, loss of employment, long term disability, etc. must submit their written requests detailing the reasons for the exemption for review by the CMP Committee Chair.

Requests for exemptions must be submitted prior to the June 30 deadline.

09. Are there any amendments to the CMP Program?

Amendments to the Certification Maintenance Program are communicated to CRSPs through the newsletter, Governor’s Table and are also posted to the BCRSP’s web site (www.bcrsp.ca).

10. Should you keep track of your professional activities and CMP Points?

It is important to keep complete and accurate records of your professional development activities. No points should be claimed without the ability to document them properly. You can keep track of all CMP points and your professional activities by using BCRSP’s online tracking tool.

11. What do you do once you receive official notification of being awarded your CRSP designation?

Once you have received official notification (i.e. – certificate) of being awarded your CRSP® designation, you may begin accumulating Certification Maintenance Points (CMPs).

However, your official CMP cycle does not start until January 1 of the following year in which certification was granted.

12. What is the certification program matrix?

The certification program matrix allows you to have a quick overview of how the point system works.

Your first CMP cycle may vary from one to five years depending on the last digit of your registration number. After completion of your first cycle, all subsequent cycles will be five years in duration. Your first cycle will begin the year following certification (so if you were certified in 2015, cycle begins January 2016, certified in 2016, cycle begins January 2017, etc.)

Examples:

You were certified in 1979 and your registration number ends in “2” determines your audit cycle; current cycle is January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2018; minimum CMPs required in that cycle – 25; call for CMP submissions issued by the Board in January 2019; submission deadline is March 30, 2019.

You were certified in 1992 and your registration number ends in 4. “4” determines your audit cycle; current cycle is January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2020; minimum CMPs required in five year cycle – 25; call for CMP submissions issued by the Board in January 2021; submission deadline is March 30, 2021.

You were certified in 2015 and your registration number is ends in 0. “0” determines your audit cycle; first cycle starts January 1, 2016 and runs through December 31, 2016; minimum CMPs required in that cycle – 5; call for CMP submissions issued by the Board in January 2017; submission deadline is March 30, 2017.

Please contact the BCRSP if you have any questions regarding the Certification Maintenance Program.

Last digit of your CRSP #:

CMP cycle is:

A request will be issued for submission CMP worksheets/documentation in:

Deadline to submit CMP worksheets/documentation:

0 or 5

January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2016 (or any part thereof)

January 2017

March 30, 2017

1 or 6

January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2017 (or any part thereof)

January 2018

March 30, 2018

2 or 7

January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2018 (or any part thereof)

January 2019

March 30, 2019

3 or 8

January 2015 through December 31, 2019 (or any part thereof)

January 2020

March 30, 2020

4 or 9

January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2020 (or any part thereof)

January 2021

March 30, 2021

13. Is there an extension for submitting CMP documentation?

Following the March 30th deadline, CRSPs/PSACs who have not yet submitted their CMP documentation are provided with a final notice to submit and are placed on probation until such time as the documentation has been submitted. Should worksheets and documentation not be submitted by June 30th of the current year the designation will be suspended by the Governing Board.

14. What if you were absent from OHS practice during your maintenance cycle?

If you are, or have been, absent from OHS practice during your current certification maintenance cycle, you may request a leave of absence in writing before the March 30th deadline. The recertification points required will be reduced by 5 points for each calendar and/or 12 month period year of the leave of absence. For example, taking a one-year parental leave during your certification maintenance cycle would reduce your point requirement from 25 to 20. If during the CMP cycle for which you are submitting worksheets/documentation, you have been absent from work through parental leave, LTD, lay off, etc., for a period of time greater than:

3 months in a 1-year cycle

5 months in a 2-year cycle

8 months in a 3-year cycle

10 months in a 4-year cycle

12 months in a 5-year cycle

and if the total CMPs submitted is less than required, please include details of this absence along with supporting documentation for review by the CMP Committee (category C1).

15. What is the guideline for counting maintenance points?

Record all certification maintenance points accurately as they are earned. You may claim activities only once and in only one category (no double dipping). For example, if you teach or develop OHS-related courses or seminars as part of your current position description, you will already be receiving credit for this under Category C1 for continued work in the OHS field, and therefore could not claim points for these courses/seminars under category A3.

Points earned during a cycle may be claimed for that cycle only. Points may not be carried over to another cycle.

You may also meet certification maintenance requirements by examination. One way to earn all required points is to retake and pass the CRSP®/PSAC® Examination. You may contact the BCRSP office to register and pay for the examination. The examination may be taken for certification maintenance credit only during the last year of the certification maintenance cycle.

16. What kind of documentation is acceptable to support certification maintenance points?

Acceptable documentation to support certification maintenance points claimed can be found at this link:

Should the CMP submission not meet the certification maintenance requirements (short necessary points or missing supporting documentation), you will be advised as to what requirements were not met. At this time you will have the opportunity to resubmit additional documentation for points.

Should the minimum point requirement not be met and no further documentation can be submitted for the given maintenance period, one would be permitted to obtain the additional points in the current year in order to meet the necessary requirements. However, if points in the current year are applied to the previous CMP cycle, they may not be claimed in the next five (5) year CMP cycle.

Alternatively, you may meet the certification requirements by retaking and passing the certification examination.

18. Is there more detail for Certification Maintenance worksheets?

Yes, BCRSP provides a detailed guide to completing certification worksheets. It can be accessed at this link: